Project of Failure: Infinitymon
by Dragon of Light
Summary: Sequal to No One Cares. It's six years after the defeat of D-Reaper, and a new threat that had been hiden away comes in search for his creators. Ryuki and a little Tajeri
1. Prologue

A/n: This is the sequel to No One Cares, and a semi-sequel to Young Love.

Disclaimer: I own nothing...except for Infinitymon. 

Project of Failure: Infinitymon

Prologue

Thirty years ago a group of college students nicknamed the 'Monster Makers' created the first digimon. It was a sweltering summer day, classes were over with for the semester, but some students were still around. Two such students, going by the nicknames of Tao and Shibumi, were on their way into their dorm room.

"Tao, I talked with that guy who was interested in our Digimon Project. He said if we can show him something truly outstanding he can get us a grant to keep up our project going." Shibumi announced.

"That's great!" Tao responded. "Let's get started right away. We can even surprise the rest of the gang with it too!"

Tao pulled up the basic program template they had made. Together the two of them drew up a new digimon, which they called Infinitymon, which hopefully would get them their grant.

Unfortunately, problems were persistent from the start. They couldn't get Infinitymon to do anything they wanted, and whenever they ran the program another one of the digimon that they'd created before would disappear.

"I just don't get it!" Tao yelled after another one of the other digimon disappeared from the program.. "Why does this keep happening?"

"Maybe somehow it formed a sense of rebellion, or maybe we forgot a primary piece of the program." Shibumi theorized.

"I don't think the first one could happen, but either way, it's unusable. Delete Infinitymon."

"It isn't working. He's gone renegade! The rest of our work is disappearing!"

"Isolate him. Then delete. If it still doesn't work, find a way to contain him in the program and hide any evidence of him." Tao saw Shibumi staring at him in confusion. "We can't let the others know that we almost destroyed it. They'll be back in a week, we have to recreate the lost digimon."

Shibumi did as he was asked and put Infinitymon in a separate file in the program and put a password on it and hid it away.

The next week came and the rest of the Monster Makers returned oblivious as to what had happened a week before.

Over the next three months the funding dried up completely, and the group disbanded. Digimon was forgotten about for almost twenty five years, which is when digimon cards and toys and such began to be produced.

That though is only part of the story. 

The other part went on, unseen and unknown to the Real World until it's discovery many years later. It was the creation of the Digital World and digimon. It had been created by the computers that the Monster Makers used shortly after the system was discarded. All the digimon they had created came about, as did others who evolved later on, including Infinitymon.

Tao and Shibumi had never completely understood why the other digimon would disappear when Infinitymon was around, but the digimon knew why. Infinitymon was a blood thirsty monster that loved death and destruction. 

When the Digital World and the digimon became physically real, so did Infinitymon, but he was still locked away physically in a scroll, which was kept by Azulongmon in his domain. 

When D-Reaper wreaked havoc on the two worlds, the seal on Infinitymon was broken and he escaped from Azulongmon's castle. 

He managed to keep from being destroyed by the D-Reaper by keeping to the few parts of the Digital World which the D-Reaper managed to miss. He stayed there gathering the strength he'd lost during his entrapment. 

Unlike most of the digimon the Monster Makers had created, he knew who had created him. And as he waited to become fully empowered again he thought back on his Creators as he had during his imprisonment, about how much he loathed them for locking him away. He also decided he'd go to the Creators' world to get revenge.

Eventually Infinitymon found a way to the Real World by using the gateway Guilmon had found six years later.

As Infinitymon emerged he stretched the kinks out of his red and black striped, feline-like body. His glowing yellow eyes caught sight of the moon before it disappeared behind the clouds. He started searching for his Creators, but with West Shinjuku being so large, found no trace of either of them during the night.

He wearily climbed a tree in the park, near where he emerged.

"I promise you, my Creators, I will find you, then I will destroy you." He called to the city, then to himself he said: "But at this rate you will escape me... I know. Until I find them, I will make their time slow so I may renew the strength I still need. This day will last an eternity until I say otherwise." He laughed.

With the moon reflecting in his eyes he howled as his technique, _Time Loop_, was put into action. But fell asleep from the amount of energy he used in doing so.

**__**

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 1: The First Encounter

****

Chapter 1: The First Encounter

It was a muggy summer day and Takato was waiting in the airport for Jeri's plane to come in. He stared out the window thinking about what America was like when he'd visited Jeri during Christmas vacation just six months ago.

"Takato, are you just going to sit there or are you going to come greet Jeri?" Rika asked.

"Yeah, I'm coming." He said, un-sticking himself from the plastic chair. "Where'd Ryo go?"

"He went to pull his car up." 

After several minutes and close to a hundred people later Jeri passed through the gate.

"Takato!" Jeri cried and ran at him. She flung her arms around his neck.

"Jeri, I think he missed you to, but let the boy breathe." Rika said casually.

"Sorry Takato. Rika, it's so nice to see you, but you didn't have to come here with Takato."

"I kinda wanted to. That and I didn't want you to be stuck in a car with Takato and Ryo for half an hour board out of your mind."

"Oh, is that why?" Ryo's voice sounded behind her. "I thought it was so I wouldn't talk about you to Takato on the way over here."

"No it isn't. Who would care what _you_ talk about anyway, it's all in Idiot anyway." Rika said blushing slightly.

"There's no such language as 'Idiot'. Anyways, Jeri, I've got my car ready for your stuff." Ryo replied.

"Great!" Jeri responded, but was drowned out by the continuing argument.

"It is so a language, what do you think you're talking in now? You're just lucky I can understand it!" Rika retorted.

Jeri turned to Takato. "Are they still going out?"  
"Yeah." Takato answered.

"Then why do they fight like this?"

"I dunno. I guess that's how their relationship works, but I don't really understand how when they argue all the time." He sighed.

Jeri just laughed and realized they were at the car already.

The car ride to West Shinjuku went pretty well after Ryo and Rika's argument finally stopped twenty minutes later.

"Do you want us to wait for you?" Ryo asked as Takato and Jeri got out of the car and went to drop Jeri's stuff off at her aunt's house where she'd be staying.

"No, we can walk back. Thanks anyways though."

"Don't forget we're all meeting at the park this afternoon, Goggle-head." Rika called as the car pulled away.

Takato and Jeri watched as the car vanished down the street.

"I guess I might as well stay here until your meeting is done, seeing as it's probably Tamers' business, and nothing to do with me." Jeri said sadly.

"They won't mind if you come. After all you are- er, were- a Tamer, too." Takato answered as they put the luggage in the room Jeri was going to be staying in and headed to the park.

When Ryo and Rika got to the park they found Kazu, Kenta, Henry, and Suzie. Henry was busy practicing a few karate moves. Suzie was standing nearby quite bored of watching the same moves over and over, and was eavesdropping on Kenta and Kazu's conversation, which Ryo and Rika happened to hear as well.

"I asked Nikki out after school today and she dumped me! Why doesn't anyone like me?" Kazu whimpered.

"How can you say that? I like you." Kenta responded.

Kazu looked Kenta straight in the eyes. "I don't fly that way, Chummly. I don't fly that way."

"Huh? Wait what are you implying?" Kenta asked; completely confused.

"Hey guys!" Ryo called, breaking up the argument

"Ryo!" They both cried.

"I see you didn't bring that--oh, wait, you did bring her." Kazu moaned when he saw Rika.

"For that you get your nuts remo-" Rika retorted, but was stopped by Ryo's elbow in her ribs.

"Be nice." Ryo whispered to her.

"I see Takato's not here yet." Henry mentioned as he stopped practicing.

"He's probably making out with Jeri right now." Kazu sighed.

"You like Jeri?" Suzie asked

"No! I'm just saying he's lucky to get someone. Heck, I'd settle for someone as feisty as Rika."

"Shut up you little pig-headed bas-" Rika snapped before getting cut off by what Jeri said as she and Takato arrived.

"Why Rika, I thought you only fought with people you liked!" Jeri giggled.

"That's not true. I fight with the stupid. See examples two and three." Rika said and pointed at Kazu and Kenta.

"So you don't like me anymore?" Ryo whimpered mockingly.

"Of course I do. You're example number one." She said and gave him a peck on the cheek. 

They didn't know it but their argument had awakened the Real World's new threat, Infinitymon. He wearily peered down at the children below him, who'd started their meeting...well it was more like a party after the digimon came over from the Digital World.

He studied the digimon carefully, then the children.

"Boy with doggy-rabbit reminds me of one of the Creators. Oh! What a deliciously feisty thing she is." He whispered to himself seeing Rika.

"Takato, I smell a digimon!" Guilmon growled as he sighted, and smelled Infinitymon

Takato grabbed his digivice and looked for data on the new found digimon.

"There's no data on him." Takato stated.

__

They are not the Creators. I need more time. Infinitymon frowned.

Suddenly a bright flash of light consumed the area.

~Ring~Ring~Ring~

Ryo looked over at his alarm clock. Which wasn't what had woke him up. It was then he realized it was the phone.

"Hello?" He said picking up the phone.

"You forgot didn't you. We're supposed to pick up Jeri at the airport today." Rika angrily stated on the other end.

"We picked her up yesterday."

"No, that's today. Just hurry up we're waiting for you."

With that the phone clicked off.

Ryo drove to the airport, Rika sitting in front with him and Takato in the back.

He watched as Takato and Rika went inside, and he followed them in a little later to find Jeri smothering Takato.

"Sorry Takato. Rika, it's so nice to see you, but you didn't have to come here with Takato." He heard Jeri say.

"I kinda wanted to. That and I didn't want you to be stuck in a car with Takato and Ryo for half an hour bored out of your mind."

__

This all seems too familiar, like deja vu. Ryo thought to himself. 

"Wake up Ryo. Why are you staring at us?" Rika asked lightly smacking him.

"Hm?" Ryo responded

"Stop staring into space and come on, Idiot."

"I'm not an idiot."

"Yes you are."

Ryo said nothing and took Jeri's bags out to his car.

Rika was surprised when Ryo didn't say anything back, and knew something must be wrong.

Rika stared at Ryo trying to figure out what was bothering him. She'd found that his eyes tended to betray his cool facade. 

After Takato, Jeri, and, Jeri's luggage were out of the car, and a reminder about the meeting, and put the car into park for him. She turned to him. 

"I know something's wrong. Just tell me what it is." Rika stated.

"I know exactly what's going to happen today." It was the first thing he'd said since the airport.

"What do you mean?"

"I've lived this day before. We're going to go to the meeting and see the digimon again. You nearly punch out Kazu twice. Takato is going to bring Jeri along. Once the digimon arrives, Guilmon is going to smell a digimon, and we have no data on him."

"That's crazy."

"If I'm right will you believe me?"

She hesitated for a minute then answered. "Yes."

They arrived at the park. Ryo remembered the conversation just like everything else that had happened.

"I asked Nikki out after school today and she dumped me! Why doesn't anyone like me?" Kazu whimpered.

"How can you say that? I like you." Kenta responded.

Kazu looked Kenta straight in the eyes. "I don't fly that way, Chummly. I don't fly that way."

"Huh? Wait what are you implying?" Kenta asked; completely confused.

Ryo and Rika came up to the group at that moment.

"Ryo!" They both cried.

"I see you didn't bring that--oh, wait, you did bring her." Kazu moaned when he saw Rika.

"For that you get-" Rika retorted, but was stopped by Ryo's elbow in her ribs.

"Remember what I said?" Ryo whispered to her.

She just gave him a look that said yeah right.

"I see Takato's not here yet." Henry mentioned joined the conversation.

"He's probably making out with Jeri right now." Kazu sighed.

"You like Jeri?" Suzie asked

"No! I'm just saying he's lucky to get someone. Heck, I'd settle for someone as feisty as Rika."

"Shut up you little pig-headed bas-" Rika snapped before getting cut off by what Jeri said as she and Takato arrived.

"Why Rika, I thought you only fought with people you liked!" Jeri giggled.

"That's not true. I fight with the stupid. See examples two and three." Rika said and pointed at Kazu and Kenta. "And Ryo's example number one.

Ryo pulled Rika aside.

"Can't you see what's happening? Everything is happening exactly like it did before, even if I don't say anything. The digimon we can't analyze is in that tree." Ryo said pointing to where Infinitymon was.

Rika's eyes grew wide when she saw a set of glowing yellow eyes staring at her.

"How did you-"

"Takato, I smell a digimon! Guilmon said

"There's no data on him." Takato stated.

__

They aren't coming, at least not here. Infinity thought to himself and jumped to the ground by Rika._ Yes, she will be the perfect queen for my new kingdom once it is remolded how I wish it._

Rika was still surprised to see that Ryo was right. The digimon jumped in front of Infinitymon.

__

Oh, well, looks like my cue to exit, but they will not stop me from getting you, my tasty morsel, and finding the Creators. Infinity smiled to himself and licked his chops.

He jumped into the air and disappeared.

"How did he do that?" Renamon asked.

"Probably the same way you do." Guardromon suggested.

"I wonder where he went." Kenta said aloud.

Actually Infinitymon wasn't that far away distance wise, but in reality he was unreachable.

He'd gotten bored waiting for his Creators, and decided to try a different approach. He attempted to go find the Creators when he last saw them...thirty years ago...

****

To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 2: Time To Go

****

A/n: Parts of this chapter were inspired from a game called Brave Tamer, which Ryo stars in, but we in America don't get Wonderswan...

Anyways you can find the Brave Tamer storyline at the following site (which, by the way, is an awesome Ryo shrine): http://phoenix.jurai.org/yesterday/wonderswan/bravetamer2.html

Chapter 2: Time To Go

The Tamers were all confused about how the digimon they'd just found had no data on their digivices.

"Why didn't he show up?" Ryo asked.

"Maybe daddy will know." Suzie suggested.

"You might be right Suzie. Let's go ask him." Henry said.

"Well, I really should get going. My aunt is probably wondering where I am. Do tell me what you find though." Jeri said and left the park

With that the rest of the children went to the Wong residence. The digimon stayed in the park, because the people in Shinjuku didn't trust digimon since the D-Reaper incident even though the digimon were responsible for saving everyone.

"Hey, Dad." Henry said poking his head in his dad's room.

"What is it?" Janyuu asked looking up from the computer.

"There's something wrong with our digivices. We ran into a digimon today in the park today, but we couldn't get any information on him."

"Come on in and I'll try to figure it out." 

The seven children entered the room, and Henry shut the door behind them.

"Let me see your digivice." Janyuu said.

Henry handed his over and Janyuu ran a diagnostic, and did the same for everyone else's too.

"They all check out fine." He finally said. "There's no reason they shouldn't be getting you what you need."

"The first time I tried getting Guilmon's information, nothing came up then either." Rika commented.

"But that's because I created him. Could he be a new mutation?" Takato responded.

"The most common mutation is one of color, what did he look like?" Janyuu asked.

"He was a red feline with black stripes covering his body, his eyes glowed yellow and black spikes came out at every angle on his tail." Ryo said describing Infinitymon.

"Yeah, like this." Takato said holding out a sketch he'd just made.

Janyuu's eyes widened and he snatched the paper from Takato's hand. _What?!_ He thought.

"Dad what's wrong?" Henry said seeing his dad's hands shaking.

Janyuu ignored Henry's question and picked up his cell phone.

Confusedly the children listened to what Mr. Wong was saying.

"Shibumi, the children came across a digimon today that closely matches Infinity...I know, I know. No, I don't blame you. If the same thing happens here in the Real World that happened in the program, then we're all in trouble...Yeah...Yeah...Call me if you can find anything." Janyuu said into the cell phone.

"Dad, what aren't you telling us?" Henry asked angrily.

Janyuu waited a moment before answering "Back before the Digimon project ended, we had a chance to get funding, but we needed something spectacular for it. Shibumi and I were the only one's that were there at the time so we started a project called Infinitymon, which I'm sure is what you children came across. He became violent and nearly destroyed all of our work. We contained him the best we could, because for some reason we couldn't get Infinitymon to be destroyed. Shortly afterwards the project ended and we forgot about everything until lately. I have no idea what he's capable of, but what I do know is he's very dangerous."

"How could you possibly make something so dangerous?!" Kenta asked.

"We had no idea he'd end up like this. Where did you last see him? It's imperative I keep track of him."

"He disappeared daddy." Suzie said.

"What?!" Janyuu asked in shock.

Ryo noticed something flashing on the computer and quietly hurried out of the room. Rika noticed this and followed him out of the room. None of the others even noticed they'd left.

"Ryo, where are you going?" She asked following him out of the apartment. 

"I can't tell you." He answered.

"Why not?...You know something about what's going on, don't you?"

"For one thing, you wouldn't understand. Second of all, if I told you, you'd want to come with me, and that's too dangerous." He left the building and started going down the street.

"You have a big ego, you know that? Who says I wouldn't understand? Besides, it's not proven that I'd want to go with you." She retorted as she kept following him.

He stopped. "If I tell you, then you have to promise not to tell anyone where I went."

"I won't. You know you can trust me."

"Okay...but first I need a computer. Can I use yours?"

"I guess so."

"Good." And with that he ran towards Rika's house, with Rika not far behind.

"Why are we running?" She called after him.

"The more time I take, the more problems could occur."

They reached Rika's house and he got on the computer.

"Tell me what's going on." Rika said angrily as he typed away.

A message appeared on the screen:

__

'Ryo, Infinitymon has transported himself thirty years into the past. We are unable to pinpoint what he's after. He must be taken care of.'

Ryo typed a response and shut off the computer. Monodramon showed up unnoticed.

"What did all of that mean? Who wrote that-" Rika asked.

"I don't have much time before I have to go, so I'll be brief. You don't know as much about me as you think you do. I've taken a mission like this once before. That mission was against a digimon called ZeedMilleniummon. Now I must go after Infinitymon. I'm going to try and drive him back to this time because I don't think Monodramon and I will be able to defeat him by ourselves. Anyways, the one who sent that message was ENIAC."

Rika took in all Ryo had told her. "All of us should go if-"

"No, this is my destiny, to fight all of the enemies who manipulate time. I don't know when, or if, I'll be back, but I have something I want to tell you before I must go. I love you, Rika, and I want to marry you. You don't have to say anything right now. Here, take this." He said taking a locket out of his pocket and tossing it to her. 

She looked at it, then back at him. "Don't get yourself killed. I don't want to have to go to your funeral." She half laughed.

Ryo noticed Monodramon was by his side now. "I hope to see you later, Pumpkin. Monodramon. We have a job to do." 

And with a sudden bright flash they were gone.

Rika was still in shock from what Ryo said as they left, and could only stare at the spot where he last stood.

A solitary tear started down her cheek, but she made no move to wipe it away.

Henry stepped forward and explained it to his father again.

"He jumped out of a tree and landed on the ground. Only a few moments after the digimon surrounded him he just disappeared into thin air." 

"Maybe the digimon can sniff him out." Kazu suggested.

After a few moments of silence Takato looked about. "Um...Where'd Ryo and Rika go?" He asked

"Maybe they had something important to do." Kenta thought out loud.

"You mean like lip wrestling?" Kazu joked.

"I said something 'important' not 'gross'."

"Kenta you're the only guy I know that doesn't like girls." Kazu sighed.

"Now's not the time to talk about this kind of stuff." Henry said angrily.

"I'll see what I can figure out. It's getting late. You kids had better go home." Janyuu stated.

And so the boys left the Wong residence for the night.

Infinitymon looked around the Shinjuku Park where he'd reappeared in the past.

__

In thirty years not much changed. He thought to himself as he walked around the park in broad daylight.

He heard people scream in terror as he walked by but didn't care.

__

First I will find the Creators and destroy them, then I will take the girl to be mine and we will rule the two worlds together. Infinitymon and his Queen-

Infinitymon's thoughts stopped as he caught a sent that was similar to Rika's, though it was actually her mother, Rumiko, who was only four years old. She alone and sobbing all by herself. She suddenly noticed Infinitymon staring at her.

"H-hello kitty." She sniffled.

He only stared back at her.

"You're probably wondering why I'm crying aren't you? Well my daddy left and my mommy doesn't know when he'll be coming back. I miss him so much."

"Child, where can I find the creators?" He asked, speaking for the first time.

"You can talk? You aren't a kitty at all!" Rumiko said actually getting a good look at Infinitymon.

"No. I'm not. Now tell me where the Creators are!" He growled and pinned the poor girl to the bench.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." She sobbed.

He was just about to slash the girl when a voice sounded behind him.

"Infinitymon, Leave her alone!"

Infinitymon whirled around to face whoever it was that interrupted him, but found no one.

"Who are you, and more importantly, how did you find me?" He hissed.

The owner of the voice and another stepped out of the shadows, and spoke again. "For you're information, I am Ryo Akiyama; the Hero of Time, the Friend of All, and your Worst Nightmare."

Infinitymon stared at Ryo, who stared back. 

Rumiko sat staring at the boy who'd came to save her. 

"Hmm. You seem quite sure of yourself." Infinitymon laughed. "But you are no match for me, Boy."

"We'll see about that." Ryo said pulling out his D-Power.

**__**

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 3: Conflicts

A/n: Sorry about the lateness of this chapter, but when it gets to be to hot to leave the a/c things have to go undone sometimes.

Chapter 3: Conflicts

Infinitymon walked towards Ryo and Monodramon

"You know what boy. Something about you seems quite familiar." He stated.

Ryo only studied the digimon as he came closer.

"Ah. You smell like my future queen. I remember even seeing you two together. You and my fiery haired goddess."

"What do you want with Rika?" Ryo angrily asked.

"As I said before, to make her my Queen. The two of us will rule the two worlds, create a new, superior race, and all other digimon and humans will be our slaves, not that you'll ever see it because you'll be dead." Infinitymon growled the last part as he leapt at Ryo.

"You're sick. Rika would never do anything like that with a monster like you." Ryo retorted as a light surrounded the boy and his partner. Infinitymon checked himself. The light faded and in the place of Ryo and Monodramon stood Justimon.

"Hmm. Very interesting, very interesting." Infinitymon said to himself before he attacked with his **Infinity Mace** technique in which he smashed his sharply spiked tail into Justimon's mid-section.

Justimon retaliated with his **Justice Kick**.

They exchanged attacks back and forth getting closer to the edge of the park each time.

In avoiding one attack Infinitymon jumped up and out of the way, and onto a garbage truck.

"What are we going to do?" Monomon asked.

"Follow him. But first..." Justimon turned towards frightened Rumiko. "Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Go home then. You'll be safe there." He said before running after the truck.

Meanwhile back in the present, Rika woke up. She hadn't remembered falling asleep. She looked at the locket that she held in her hand and knew that Ryo was truly gone.

The ringing phone pulled her from her thoughts.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hi Rika." The voice on the other end answered

"What is it Henry?" 

"Everyone's back over here except you and Ryo. And you would've known that if you two had stuck around a little longer. By the way where _is_ Ryo? I've called his house but he's not answering."

"I can honestly say I don't know. He's probably trying to be a hero." Rika answered trying to hold back her tears.

"Well hurry over here. We're trying to find out where that digimon went."

She hung the phone up, and headed out the door only to be stopped by her mother.

"Where are you going?" Rumiko asked as Rika went past.

"Out. I'll be back later." Rika quickly said and ran out the door.

Rumiko stared after her daughter as she went down the street. She knew something was bothering her, but had no idea what. They'd become closer little more than a year ago, and it worried her whenever Rika wouldn't tell her something.

Rika finally arrived at Henry's apartment. Kazu, Kenta, Suzie, Takato, and Jeri were sitting in the living room

"So where did you and Ryo sneak off to last night?" Kazu asked as soon as Rika entered the room, and just ignored him.

"Oh, I see. You two were doing stuff, weren't you." He continued with a smirk.

Rika continued to say nothing and only closed her eyes to keep from crying.

"Rika," Takato asked, "Are you okay?"

"What ever makes you think something's not okay?!" She snapped back.

"W-well for one thing," Kenta added for Takato, "You aren't fighting with Kazu about anything he just said."

"Well right now I don't have the time or energy to fight with a dimwitted, horny boy right now when I have more important things to think about!" She shouted, drawing Henry and his father into the room. She calmed down slightly. "I came here with information, but I guess you don't frickin' care!"

"About Infinitymon? What do you know?" Janyuu asked.

"Infinitymon isn't here to worry about anymore. Apparently he some how managed to go back in time, or at least that's what ENIAC told Ryo." Rika mentally kicked herself 

__

Oops. Blew the promise I wouldn't tell anyone where he was. She yelled at herself.

"ENIAC? As in the first computer?"

"I guess so. I wasn't quite filled in on that part." Rika said bitterly.

"If he's in the past, how are we going to stop him?" Suzie asked.

Ruki looked at the young girl. "Ryo claimed he's working on it. We just have to be ready for when they come back." She stuffed her hand into her pocket and tightly clenched the locket Ryo had given her. **_If_** they come back. 

"Come back? You mean Ryo's..." Henry asked

"Yeah." Was all she answered and left the apartment.

Justimon caught up with the garbage truck and found Infinitymon quite interested with a crumpled piece of paper.

"You're not getting away so easily." Justimon said, startling Infinitymon.

"That's what you think, but I got what I need, and now the Creators will be becoming very, very dead. So sayonara!" He said jumping on the hood of the truck.

The frightened driver slammed on the brakes and Infinitymon raced off. 

The sudden halt of the vehicle nearly threw Justimon out of the truck, which caused him to loose sight of Infinitymon.

"Dangit!" He yelled, but then remembered the paper that Infinitymon had been looking at. They unmerged and Ryo grabbed it and read part of it '...I've heard quite a bit about your 'Digimon' project and am quite interested in financing it, that is if you can show me something of merit...'

Ryo remembered something Janyuu had said before he left:

__

"Back before the Digimon project ended, we had a chance to get funding, but we needed something spectacular for it. Shibumi and I were the only one's that were there at the time so we started a project called Infinitymon...We contained him the best we could, because for some reason we couldn't get Infinitymon to be destroyed..."

"Oh, no!" He suddenly realized who it was that Infinitymon was after and jumped out of the truck and started towards the address at the top of the paper with Monodramon following him..

"What's wrong Ryo?" Monodramon asked.

"We have to stop him before he kills Henry's dad and Mr. Mizuno!"

Rika walked in the door of her house.

"I thought you said you were going out." Rumiko called from the living room.

Rumiko walked to where her daughter stood.

"What's wrong Rika? We talked about this before; you can tell me anything." She smiled

Rika looked at her mom, and the tears she'd been holding back rushed out. The two of them sat on the couch.

"He's gone." She whispered.

"Who's gone? Ryo?" 

"Yeah."

"Don't cry about it. I know you can do better than him-" 

"No, that's not it. He left to try to save all of us...and, um, before he left he..."

"He what?"

"Um...he asked me to marry him."

"What?!" Rumiko was quite flustered by this. "But you're only children."

"Mom, I'm sixteen and he's twenty, we're not children anymore."

"He isn't, but technically you're still a little girl! You can't make decisions like this on your own! Things might seem great now, but what about later. I can't believe you said yes."

"I'm not a little girl anymore. I've experienced more than most anyone else probably would by the time I was ten. Besides, I haven't told him yes, or no, yet. He left before I could even think about what he just said."

"I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I did, that's all."

"I'm not you though, I'm me. Anyways, he, and all my friends, know I won't agree to anything unless I'm sure about my decision."

"If that's what you believe then do whatever you believe is right."

"Thanks mom."

Ryo reached the room at the college that was named in the address on the letter. All of the Monster Makers were in there when he barged in.

"Who are you?" A younger Janyuu asked.

"There's no time to explain, but I need to speak with you Mr. Wong. And you too Mr. Mizuno. Privately." Ryo stated.

The two men looked to each other and wordlessly followed Ryo into the hall.

"What's this all about?" Shibumi asked.

"This is about a program you two created. Infinitymon." Ryo whispered.

"How do you know about that?" Janyuu questioned.

"There's no time to explain, but I need to get you two out of here. I know how dangerous he is, and he's coming to destroy both of you! If he succeeds then the world is doomed!"

Janyuu broke into laughter. Ryo looked at him like he was crazy.

"Digimon aren't real. They are just computer code. Data. There's no way something like that could happen."

"Tao, I know Digimon are real. Just because we can't touch them doesn't mean they don't really exist." Shibumi stated seriously.

"Not this again. You can't seriously expect me to believe that-"

"Digimon _are_ real." Monodramon said stepping out of the shadows behind Ryo.

Ryo spun and looked at his partner. "I told you to keep an eye out for Infinitymon and stay hidden." He scolded.

"But, he was saying that I didn't exist."

"Digimon didn't exist this far back in the past, so technically he's right."

"Th-that _thing_ is a digimon?" Janyuu asked in shock

"Wait." Shibumi interrupted, what did you mean by 'this far in the past'? Who are you?"

"I guess it's unavoidable now. Monodramon and I have traveled back thirty years in the past to save you from your own creation, Infinitymon. He's going to try to kill you."

"Try? I think I'll succeed." 

They turned around to find Infinitymon standing there.

"Just because you warned them doesn't mean that they're going to live any longer." He added.

"Run!" Ryo yelled to the men. "You'll have to get through us to get to them." 

With a flash of light Justimon replaced the boy and his digimon.

The two men watched for a few more minutes then ran as the Ryo had told them.

Justimon and Infinitymon faced each other again, exchanging attacks. Infinitymon tried repeatedly to get past his foe, only to be pushed back further.

After one such attempt, and failure on Infinitymon's part, the feline-ish digimon backed up and spoke to the hybrid digimon.

"You have only bought them moments more to live. In fact I'm off to destroy them right now." He scoffed and leapt into the air to disappear.

"No!" Justimon cried and grabbed Infinitymon's tail before he succeeded. Infinitymon did disappear though, but Justimon went with him.

**__**

To be continued...


	5. End Game

****

A/n: WARNING: Tissues may be needed.

Chapter 4: End Game

Justimon and Infinitymon were in a place called as the Time Stream, through which any time-jumper travels to nearly any time already done.

"Let go of me you stupid boy!" Infinitymon growled. "The girl shall be mine and I will kill my Creators! There's nothing you can do to stop me."

Infinitymon lashed out at Jutimon with his claws. Justimon barely dodged the attack

"I refuse to let you kill anyone, or take Rika for your sick and twisted plans." Ryo cried.

He let go and nearly drop-kicked the feline-ish digimon right out of the Time Stream. Justimon then jumped from the Time Stream himself.

Little more than a week passed since Ryo had left the Present, and with what Rika had told everyone about being ready, the digimon stayed with their partners.

Rika had been taking a bath, when she heard a crash come from the living room.

"Renamon." She summoned.

Renamon appeared next to the tub.

"Check it out." Rika continued, and Renamon disappeared.

Renamon reappeared in the hallway outside of the living room and peered in. In a heap on the floor were Ryo and Monodramon.

Ryo pushed Monodramon off of him, and sighted Renamon.

"Hi there Renamon. Sorry for dropping by like this, but would Rika happen to be around?"

Renamon smiled. "She'll be so happy to see you." She answered and returned to Rika.

__

Probably not after what I have to tell her... Ryo thought to himself.

Infinitymon found himself back in Shinjuku Park after Ryo had knocked him out of the time-stream.

"I will get you for this, hero-boy." He growled to himself as he picked himself off of the ground.

"Well what was it?" Rika asked when Renamon returned.

"Ryo has returned." Renamon stated.

Rika jumped out of the tub and quickly threw a towel around herself. She then ran to where Ryo was and threw her arms around him.

"I missed you so much Ryo." She smiled. "I've thought about what you asked before you left, about us getting married. I want to marry you."

"I'm so happy! but we have a problem; I managed to drag Infinitymon back here, but he's after you, Mr. Wong, and Shibumi."

"What!?"

"He's out to destroy them, and to use you to create some kind of super digimon/human hybrid race. I have a plan. I need to make a few calls, and, um, would you please put some clothes on."

"And if I don't want to?"

"Well, I don't think you'll want to be giving everyone ideas, do you." He said picking up the nearby phone.

"So what if I didn't care?" Rika gave a little laugh then went to her room to change.

About half an hour later the rest of the tamers and their digimon were at Rika's house, along with Janyuu and Shibumi.

"So why are we all here?" Shibumi asked.

"Infinitymon is out to kill the two of you, and I know you know that." Ryo said, indicating the older men.

"Yes, I remember you telling us that before." Janyuu said sadly.

The other tamers were slightly confused by the comment, but quickly forgot their confusion as Ryo continued with his plan.

"Anyways, he wants Rika too. Anyways here's the plan: We're going to go to the park, because that's where he'll be-."

"How do you know?" Kenta interrupted.

"When we left the time-stream returning back here, I ended up back here, which is where I left from-"

"So you two _were_ doing something when you left the other night." Kazu grinned.

"Argh. No one else interrupts until Ryo finishes what he has been trying to say." Rika said.

"Thank you. Now as I was trying to say, we're going to let him get what he wants." Surprised and disgusted faces stared back at him. "We're going to use the three of you as bait to lure him out. The digimon, except Monodramon, will stay hidden so that he isn't tipped off that it's an ambush. Together we should be able to defeat him. After all he's just a digimon." 

They headed to the park. When everyone was in place, Ryo stepped forward.

"Infinitymon." Ryo called out. "My friends and I have discussed this, and we've decided that there is no way we can defeat you. We brought you the ones you were looking for so that you'd spare our lives."

There was no answer. Only silence.

A noise came to their right, and they turned to face it. It was Infinitymon.

"You are lying. Don't think that I didn't see the digimon come and hide. Come out!" Infinitymon growled.

They slowly appeared from their hiding places.

"You are stupid." Infinitymon laughed and then arched his back. **"Time Loop"** Whispered as he used his attack, this time not to slip through or repeat time, but to freeze it.

"Ha! Your stupid attack didn't work, right Gardromon? Gardromon? What did you do to him?!" Kazu yelled.

"He froze them all." Takato stated as he went pale.

"How come we're not frozen?" Suzie asked.

Infinitymon frowned slightly. "Hm. Apparently humans aren't affected by it. That'll make things a little more difficult. I will defeat you, then I will kill my Creators and after that I will take my queen away with me."

"Not if I can help it." Ryo angrily stated as he stepped forward, a large stick in his hands.

"What are you doing?! You're no match for him, Ryo!" Rika cried grabbing his shoulder.

"Someone has to do something." He answered turning to her.

Infinitymon took advantage of the fact that Ryo had let his guard down and attacked him with his **Infinity Mace**attack. This time though he shot six spikes from his tail at him.

"Ryo!" Rika warned, but it came too late.

The spikes rammed into his back, and the points emerged on the other side. Rika caught him as he fell forward and laid him on his back.

"Ryo." Was all she could choke out as tears started down her cheeks. 

"I'll be okay." He said as he winced in pain.

She kissed his lips, then angrily stood and turned to face Infinitymon.

"No one tries to kill off my fiancé and gets away with it." Rika vowed. 

Renamon, who'd been immobilized like the others found Infinitymon's power weaken around her and she broke free. They bio-merged to Sakuyamon and faced their opponent.

"Now you face me, Sakuyamon." Sakuyamon stated as she attacked with her attack **Spirit Strike**

The attack of elemental fox spirits struck Infinitymon hard, but he barely managed to stay on his feet.

"Ha. Do you think that hurt me?" He stated.

"I know it did. You're barely standing." She said, a touch of pity for him in her voice.

"I'm stronger than you think." He growled as he rushed her.

She only had to whack him with her staff to finish him off.

"Y-you will pay for-" He managed to say before he was completely deleted.

The spell over the digimon was broken and they were free to move again.

The first thing on Rika's mind after she and Renamon separated was how Ryo was doing, and so ran to him.

"Ryo!" She cried when she saw that the spikes that were in him had gone and he was bleeding terribly. "We have to get you to a hospital-"

"I don't think he'd make it." Janyuu sadly whispered. "The hospital's too far away, and he's bleeding to badly."

"Rika." Ryo said.

"I'm here. What is it?" She said laying his head on her lap. It took all she had to keep from crying as she did so.

"I know I'm not going to live much longer-" He said trying not to show the pain he was feeling.

"Yes you are!" She interrupted, then, almost crying whispered "You can't leave me. I can't loose you like I lost my grandma."

"I'm sorry Rika but..." He closed his eyes for a moment thinking of what he wanted to say. "Since I first went to the Digital World, I've known it was my destiny to die fighting to protect it, but I figured I'd rather die fighting for a beautiful woman instead, and you wouldn't believe it, but I was right." He said reaching his hand and wiped a tear from her cheek. "One bad thing, I wish I'd be around to keep an eye on you...but I wouldn't be much use." She clenched onto his hand tightly, not ever wanting to let him go. "It's beginning to get hard to keep my eyes open at all...even to look at you Babe. One thing I never got to do was to love you like you've always needed. I wish I could've...not that it matters anymore..."

A mournful howl escaped Monodramon, before he completely faded into thin air.

Rika knew he was dead after that because he stopped breathing, and because his partner was gone. She held him even closer to her body because of it, and wept all the tears she'd been holding back.

"Ryo...I love you...You can't leave me..." She sobbed.

The other Tamers and the two Monster Makers couldn't think of anything to say that would consol her.

****

~Epilogue~

Rika sadly walked past her mother as she went to her room. Rumiko knew it was better to leave her alone today, and again in a few days. She was like this every year on those two days, the day Ryo died and the day of his funeral.

Rika sat on her bed and pulled a book out from under her pillow. To anyone else it would've looked like a diary any normal girl would have, but on closer inspection they'd notice that on the cover was written: _Letters to Ryo_.

She opened the book and studied the picture taped inside. It was a picture of him, her and their digimon at the beach. Then flipping to the next blank page started writing:

__

Dearest Ryo,

It's been two years since you died, and my heart still hurts. Not as much as that day anymore, but it still hurts. Every day I think of what could have been, and I cry, just a little, knowing that it'll never happen. I think about what it would've been like waking up next to you, what our children might have looked like, what it would be like to grow old with you by my side, and now I'll never know because you just had to play hero...

I've got some news about everyone to tell you; Takato and Jeri are engaged, Henry got a job teaching Martial Arts, Suzie got first place in an art show at school the other day, Kenta's a tube-sock model and surprisingly Kazu has managed to land himself a girlfriend, but you probably already knew that up in heaven...

My mom keeps saying that it's time that I moved on, and I know she's right, which is partly why I'm writing this to you. I'm going on a date tonight with a guy from work. He's nothing like you though...

Rika opened the book to the picture again and kissed the boy, then the locket that hung around her neck.

"I'll never forget you, and I'll always love you." She whispered.

A warm breeze blew against her neck. She didn't need to turn around to know that neither any doors or windows were open. She gave a little smile as tears formed in her eyes.

She knew it had been the breath of an angel with brown hair and beautiful blue eyes, wordlessly saying "I'll always be with you, and I'll always love you."

****

The End

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was going to make it one of those happy ending fics that have a wedding and such...but then I saw an anime movie called X, which is where I got what Ryo said before he died, though modified. Here is the original quote:

"Since I was born, I've known it was my destiny to die fighting for the Dragon of Heaven, but I figured I'd rather die for a beautiful woman instead, and you wouldn't believe it, but I was right. One bad thing, I wish I'd be around to keep an eye on you, but I wouldn't be much use. It's beginning to get hard to keep my eyes open at all, even to look at you Babe. One thing I never got around to asking was how you feel about me. I wish I asked, not that it matters anymore..."

It helped that the girl the guy was saying it to looked quite similar to what an older Rika might look like.

The part where Monodramon faded into nothingness came from the same movie, but an earlier part.


End file.
